Masashi Itō (伊藤 将司, Itō, Masashi, born May 8, 1996 in Yokoshibahikari, Chiba) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball.[1]
| Masashi Itō | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hanshin Tigers – No. 27 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: May 8, 1996 Yokoshibahikari, Chiba | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| NPB debut | |
| March 31, 2021, for the Hanshin Tigers | |
| Career statistics (through April 6, 2022) | |
| Win–loss record | 10–8 |
| ERA | 2.54 |
| Strikeouts | 87 |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Early baseball career
editMasashi started as a little league pitcher for the Yokoshiba Phoenix baseball team in his hometown in Chiba.[2][3] He continued to pitch for Yokoshibahikari Junior High, and helped his team win the prefectural championship in his 3rd year.[4]
He entered Yokohama High School in the neighboring prefecture of Kanagawa, where he became the baseball team's ace pitcher in his 2nd year.[5] He helped his school make it all the way to the 2013 Summer Koshien tournaments, where he pitched a complete game (14 KOs, 1 earned run) to defeat Marugame High in the 2nd round.[6] But due to overexertion in this game, he strained his shoulders and they lost the next round to Toko Gakuen. They also made it to the 2014 Spring Koshien, but got defeated in the first round when he gave away 7 runs.[7]
After high school, he returned to Chiba to enroll in International Budo University, where he joined the baseball team as a reliever. He eventually became the team's ace in his 2nd year and participated in the Sendai Big-Six league tournaments.[5] In addition to notching 6 wins including 3 shutouts in league games, he was selected to play for the national team during the 2019 Japan-USA Collegiate Baseball Championship series. In his 3rd year, he was again selected to play for Samurai Japan in the Baseball at the 2017 Summer Universiade where Japan finished first. In the league games, he won 4 titles including league MVP and most pitching wins, and contributed to his team finishing 2nd overall.[5] But due to an injury in his pitching arm at the start of his senior year, he got very little play time and his prospects of getting drafted after graduation became very slim.[8] He finished college with a record of 24–5, 92 KOs and a 1.92 ERA in 50 league appearances.
When he went undrafted, he joined JR East to play in the industrial leagues. In his first year, despite pitching 3 scoreless innings in relief during the 2019 Intercity Baseball Tournament, their team lost due to run deficit.[9] After this, he began weight training to improve his overall strength. On October 5, 2020 during the Tokyo-wide eliminations, he almost pitched a no-hitter against NTT East Japan right until the bottom of the 9th. He earned a complete shutout win and finished the game after surrendering only a single hit.[10] After he got drafted by the Tigers in November, he also pitched another complete win (2 earned runs) against soon-to-be Tigers teammate Takumu Nakano of Mitsubishi Motors Okazaki during the intercity tournament, but his team lost in the succeeding round.[11]
Hanshin Tigers
editHe was the Tiger's 2nd round pick during the November 2020 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[1] He signed a 70 million yen contract with Hanshin, for an estimated annual salary of 13 million yen. He was assigned jersey number 27.[12]
Pitching style
editA 5'10 southpaw pitcher with three quarters delivery, he throws a four-seam fastball as his main pitch (maxed at 146 km/h (91 mph)), coupled with a cutter, a two-seamer, slider and an occasional forkball and changeup.[13] He has been shown to have good control in throwing low trajectory pitches.[1]
Career statistics
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "阪神２位のＪＲ東日本・伊藤将司はポスト能見目指す". Nikkan Sports. 2020-10-26.
- ^ "【阪神新人連載】伊藤将 運命変えた1球のキャッチボール 左投げの捕手、幼少期には伝説の数々". Sports Nippon. 2020-12-15.
- ^ "【阪神新人紹介】ドラフト２位・伊藤将司【１】". Daily Sports. 2020-11-15.
- ^ "阪神、JR東日本・伊藤将司投手を2位指名 成熟された名門のエース 左腕対決で完勝の勝負強さ". Sports Nippon. 2020-10-26.
- ^ a b c "【阪神新人紹介】ドラフト２位・伊藤将司【２】]". Daily Sports. 2020-11-16.
- ^ "横浜vs丸亀 横浜、「タレント力」で丸亀を制圧！]". HB-Nippon.com. 2013-08-13.
- ^ "八戸学院光星、１５安打９得点で横浜下す／センバツ]". Sankei Sports. 2014-03-27.
- ^ "【阪神新人紹介】ドラフト２位・伊藤将司【３】". Daily Sports. 2020-11-17.
- ^ "NTT西日本 vs JR東日本 テキスト速報-第90回都市対抗野球大会]". Baseball.Omyutech.com. 2019-07-21.
- ^ "ＪＲ東日本ドラフト候補左腕・伊藤将司、１安打完封…都市対抗都第１代表決定戦". Sports Hochi. 2020-10-05.
- ^ "都市対抗で阪神の新人対決実現! ドラ2・伊藤将がドラ6・中野を封じるも「打撃はすごく上手い」". Sports Nippon. 2020-11-25.
- ^ "阪神ドラ２伊藤将司が仮契約「目標は大きく10勝」". Nikkan Sports. 2020-12-02.
- ^ "阪神２位伊藤将司指名あいさつに「２桁はいきたい」". Nikkan Sports. 2020-10-28.